leftovers of me
by Adria Ember
Summary: He knew he forgot something with her.  RoLo


**leftovers of me  
****Disclaimer**: I do not own _X-men_.  
**Char./Pairing:** Storm/Wolverine  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Warnings:** sexual content, little language  
**Summary: **He knew he forgot something with her.  
**Notes**: Written for the lj prompt at **31_days** "I left my brains down in Africa"

* * *

-x-

* * *

Never had Logan felt more foreign as he stepped onto the land of Wakanda. Sure, he'd been there several times for missions and maybe once or twice just for the heck of it. However, on this rare occasion, he's been invited—by the Queen of Wakanda. Well, they call her Goddess here too, but that's another story arc in itself. And, right now, he's not feeling too great.

He's starting to wonder why his stupid healing factor doesn't cure mental anxieties, as well as physical illnesses.

"Wolverine," blasts a voice from his right. Logan still has a tight grip on the railing of the stairs leading up to the plane, clearly suggesting he's ready to run back inside the aircraft for any reason. Wearily, he stares at the men in uniform approaching him, a man dressed in a silver suit, black hair neatly combed back. In a thick, north eastern African accent, he spoke, "Welcome to Wakanda, our trusted ally and friend. Come, please allow me to show you to our escort, where we will shortly meet His Majesty."

"Not lookin' for the King, bub," Logan grunts, still rooted at the bottom of the stairs of the plan, ready to bolt. "I'm here fer the Queen."

Clearly, that does not settle well for the representative or his apparent small army behind him. A frown crosses the dark man's face before a forceful smile. "You will see her soon, my friend. Now, if you please." He gestures to move forward, where a limo waits just off in the distance. Logan wants to tell him there's no possible way he's moving off the airport until there's an explanation, but someone's voice comes from above, up on the plane.

"Logan?" a head pops out in sight and he inwardly groans. "Is Storm here?"

"Get back inside, darlin'."

Kitty doesn't take it well and glares at the men in uniform. "Who are these people? Hey, where's 'Ro?"

"They don't want us to see her, I'm guessin," Logan makes it obvious his angry stare is directed at the representative, who merely ignores it.

"I am a messenger," the man abolishes, "Our King simply wishes to see you first! It's part of our country's regulations."

"Obali, I don't believe those were my orders."

A sudden blast of wind rushes through the air, carrying dust with it. Logan ducks his head in his arm until it dies down and he hears two feet touch the ground softly. Looking up, he spies the very woman they've been arguing about. Nevertheless, her attention is not on him (yet); it's all on the army-of-twelve (obviously in case The Great Wolverine loses his temper, which was about to happen) and the "messenger". Kitty makes a small, "Storm!" but it's ignored, as she apparently means business with her husband's 'escorts'.

Her lips are pursed slightly, as she scowls at all of them. "Can anyone here tell me why my royal invitation to the X-Men has been turned into an obvious prisoner transport?" She stares at her representative. "Who gave you these orders, Obali?"

"Your Majesty! Please, we were merely taking them to our King for prope—"

"You lie," she narrows her eyes. Pointing her finger to the nearby hanger, "Go. I will deal with all of you later."

Defying the Queen would probably be next to the most horrible things you can ever do, so all thirteen men obey, heading to the hanger without a single protest. Logan makes an impressed whistle as Kitty jumps down and tackles Ororo with a hug.

"We have missed you!" she exclaims. "Everyone does! Well, except for Emma, but we all know she's incapable of that."

Storm laughs quietly. "And every day is very hard for me. Without all of you, I feel misguided in everything."

"You're Queen, 'Ro," Logan steps into the conversation, "Ain't that count for somethin'?"

A moment passes before she answers. Her eyes flicker over his face, as if seeing it for the first time. Over her lips, a smile dances. "Sometimes I wonder if Queen is better than a warrior."

Kitty looks sadly over her shoulder to him, where they share a knowing glance. Once an X-Men, always an X-Men. It's a part of all of them and the second you are made one, you can't shake it off. But Logan's sure it can be a curse sometimes, like now. It's apparent she wishes to come back, despite the duty she's been placed in.

Logan clears his throat and stands closer to the two. "Well, darlin', let's see what Wakanda has to offer, huh?"

Something reflects darkly within Ororo's eyes and he knows exactly what it says: _Nothing_.

-x-

In order to send a rather political message to the figures in Wakanda's government, Ororo lays out the sleeping chambers Logan and Kitty will be both separate and very, very luxurious, fit for the King and Queen their selves. Actually, he knows it's both that and the fact that she'd settle for no less for her X-Men friends.

He whistles admirably as his eyes scan the large room. Light falls through the huge windows, gold draperies and designs cover them. Rich colors flood his vision. Purple for bed sheets, perfect white for the floors and red carpets over them. Everything is extravagant and when he turns around, he wonders what _her_ room must look like.

"Good enough?" she smiles.

He wants to tell her that he's actually quite amazed beyond belief but it really isn't good enough because she's not with them anymore. It's not good enough that she's here with the bastard, who has stolen her from the X-Men. Not good enough that she's being treated as a Queen and not the goddess she really is.

But, hey, Wolverine's a pretty good liar, so he slaps on that small grin and tells her, "You know me, darlin'. I'm easily impressed."

The second he says it, Logan remembers she's always been good at spotting liars.

-x-

Kitty has always been in love with gardens and has apparently missed the green house Storm used to tend to. Since she left, the green house was immediately turned into a training base on Emma's command, much to Kitty's anger. So, the royal gardens are where she's been staying most of the time, if not with senators and other important figures of the country. Ororo has to tell him this before he nearly goes on a rampage when Kitty doesn't show for breakfast.

He stares across the table at Ororo and is silently grateful they can actually have some time. They're alone and she talks of the adventures she's been having. Surprisingly, most of them have happened in other regions of the world, not just Wakanda. One with the Fantastic Four sparks his interest until she tells him Doctor Doom is a shared enemy between the super-team and the Black Panther.

"You make faces each time I mention his name."

"Let's not go there, 'Ro."

Resistance passes through her features before she seemingly allows the matter to go. Taking a drink, she asks, "I have not spoken to Scott in some time. How is he?"

"Cheeky, as always. Frost has him wrapped around her pretty little finger."

"But we already knew that."

Logan nods. "We're all split up still. And it seems permanent, since you're...married and ruling your own country."

Sighing, Storm looks out the window, memories flashing in the reflection her eyes. "Sometimes, I wonder how this happened. I wake up and expect to see old friends and allies. But I meet someone else who does not understand my homesickness."

"That's a pretty bold statement for someone who is your husband."

She merely stares at him with dismal bitterness.

-x-

"I'm coming with you."

It's when Kitty phases through him, jumps from the plane into Storm's arms and starts rambling about how much this means to her, it finally settles in for Logan. Blinking in surprise, he stares at the Queen of Wakanda.

"Look, 'Ro—"

"Don't start speaking logic now, Logan," she places a hand on his shoulder, "Definitely when it's you who likes to throw it out the window."

-x-

He won't tell anyone (well, because _that's_ not something new) but he's pretty glad Ororo isn't always all tact. She's born for the wilderness, just like him, as much as that scares him.

-x-

It's been awhile since he's seen her actually run around so excitedly. From person to person, she's greeting everyone. Bobby, who had amazingly stopped by the mansion, suggests they party. This is shot down by Kitty.

"Everything...has hardly changed," she breathes out, happily. With wonder, Ororo gazes around. "It makes me believe no one missed me!"

"That's a silly thought, darlin'."

-x-

There's something very lonesome that drifts through the hallways of the mansion tonight; it's laden in the walls and seeps through into his room, piercing the tough exterior of his skin. It beckons him, this night, causing him to rise out of the bed, mind set on finding a friend.

When he's standing in front of her room and she opens it, he doesn't feel shame, or regret. Restlessness covers her blue eyes like a thick sheet.

"Logan," she breathes his name, as if it has never left her lips before.

She's in his arms the next second, and then he's crushing his mouth against hers.

-x-

Funny how he still didn't care about how she was supposed to be some bastard's girl.

-x-

Emma stops him in the hallway the next morning. Her nose seems to be permanently crinkled in disgust each time she looks his way, but hey, he doesn't really care about her, so it doesn't matter.

In a harsh whisper, "You are disgraceful. Normally, I wouldn't involve myself in your messes, but she's married to the _King_ of Wankanda. Logan, for the good of our country, please don't do anything more with her."

A smirk makes its way on his face. "Guess that was uncomfortable for you, huh? Since you're a telapath and all, you certainly know everything everyone does."

He really, really wants to laugh right now.

She doesn't find it amusing. "Logan, she's Queen. Stop fooling around."

"So dramatic."

An angry cry rips from her throat as she throws her hands heavenward, marching off.

"Yeah, payback for all the times you think the rest of the mansion can't hear you and one-eye," he yells after her.

-x-

He finds Ororo in the greenhouse-made-training grounds. She's sitting down against the wall, alone.

"I heard this is Emma's doing. My garden has been terminated."

"Don't be sad, darlin'," he sits down next to her. "You've got about fifteen fields of gardens in Wakanda."

She sighs heavily, leaning her head against the wall. "I suppose I find it sentimental."

"The garden?"

"The X-Men."

-x-

The next time he kisses her, she tries pushing him away. Against the wall of her bedroom, he stares at her shaking body gradually making it to the opposite side.

She smears the back of her hand against her lips, as if to take the taste of him away.

"No more," her breathless demand comes with an unexpected twinge of pain in his chest. Blue eyes flicker to his sadly. "It's not fair."

"Damn right it's not fair, 'Ro."

"Don't come any closer."

Instead, he grabs her arm and yanks her to him. Angrily and almost desperately, she wriggles away successfully.

"Ororo," he says and nearly breaks when she flinches at his voice. "Why did you marry him?"

It's one of those questions that are probably on his Top Ten. You know, along with the loss of his memories and the whole damn "why" he had to be here in the first place.

"It was right."

"You're foolin' yourself, darlin'."

She turns to him fiercely, yelling, "Don't you think I _know_ that? I've spent months on end trying to fool myself! Days go by and I _still_ know I couldn't have stopped this."

"I'm foolin' myself too."

Ororo collapses to the carpet floor, eyes tightly shut. With a strangled voice, "No... You know what you want, Logan."

"But I still believe I can get it."

-x-

Escorts from Wakanda come to see her off to ensure she comes back (and stays there). Her husband, no doubt, sent them.

She stands in front of the car door, watching him slowly approach with hands deeply shoved in his pockets. Her eyes never leave his face, but he's having a hard time looking at hers.

"I'm surprised you came to say good bye."

"Not good bye, darlin'," he answers curtly, "Just 'til next time."

Her lips curve into a fleeting and mournful smile. "Perhaps."

His eyes meet hers for brief moments. "You know how I feel. It's not impossible to say no."

"If there was anything I could have ever learned from you, Logan," she brushes her lips against his cheek, "it's that nothing is impossible."

Ducking her head, she swiftly gets into the car, leaving him on the vast yard, hands still dug into his jean pockets.

-x-

He knew he lost all control that day he left Africa. The second he stepped on that plane with her, he knew nothing was stopping him.

But Logan's a little afraid that, this time, something has been stolen. It's there, back in Africa, lying with a goddess in the riches of a country she can't call home.

* * *

-x-

* * *

_Finished_.

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-x-

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So this story is mostly crap, however, I think the concept is good enough to inspire someone else.


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